How to Prepare Your Property for Excavation Day

What Happens Before We Start Digging

Excavation projects move fast — most residential jobs run 5–10 days. But a lot of that speed depends on what's already done before the equipment rolls onto your property. Here's what we recommend homeowners take care of in advance.

Call 811 — Even If We Do It Too

811 is the national "call before you dig" service. It triggers a locate of underground utilities — power, gas, water, sewer, telecom — on your property. We call 811 before every job as a standard practice. But if you're doing any digging yourself in the days leading up to the project, or if you've had any private lines installed (irrigation systems, invisible fence, privately run electrical to a shop or outbuilding), those need to be located separately.

**Private utility lines are not flagged by 811.** If you have irrigation, a septic system, or any lines you had installed yourself, tell us about them before we start.

Clear the Access Path

Excavators and skid steers are big. We need a clear, direct path from the street or staging area to the work zone. Before we arrive:

• Move vehicles out of the driveway
• Remove any obstacles near the access path (pots, furniture, garden features)
• Flag or mark anything near the work area you want protected — specific plants, landscape lights, irrigation heads

Mark What You Want Kept

If you have specific plants, landscape features, or hardscape you want us to work around, mark them clearly. Colored flags or spray paint on the ground work well. The more specific you are, the better we can protect what matters.

Understand the Soil Conditions

In Bella Vista and most of NWA, you're dealing with rocky limestone substrate. This is good — it's stable and doesn't shift. It also means that exact cut depths can vary based on what we hit. We'll always communicate if we encounter rock formations that affect the scope, and any changes go through a change order process with your approval.

Who's On-Site?

You don't need to be home every day, but we recommend being available or reachable during the project — especially at the start. Walk the site with us on day one to confirm scope and mark any last-minute concerns. We'll coordinate any changes through you directly.

Payment and Timeline

We quote by the project, not by the hour. Payment terms are confirmed before work begins. We accept cash, check, and credit card for all project sizes.

Most residential projects run 5–10 days. Weather is the most common delay — we'll communicate any schedule shifts in advance.

Questions before your project starts? Reach out — that's what we're here for.